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OKC Thunder notebook: Kevin Durant finishes second for MVP

For the second time in three seasons, Kevin Durant came in second in MVP voting.

Durant finished behind Miami's LeBron James, who took home his third MVP award in four seasons, the league announced Saturday.

CELEBRATION: Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (35) celebrates the Thunder's win following game one of the first round in the NBA playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Saturday, April 28, 2012. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

James received 85 of a possible 121 first place votes, as well as 25 second-place votes, nine third-place votes, one fourth-place vote and one fifth-place vote to tally 1074 total points. Durant garnered 24 first-place votes, 83, second-place votes, 13 third-place votes and one fourth-place vote to finish with 889 points.

Players received 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each fifth-place vote, five for each third-place vote, three for each fourth-place vote and one points for each fifth-place vote.

James became the first player since Michael Jordan to win at least three MVP awards and the first player since Magic Johnson from 1987-1990 to win the honor three times in four seasons.

“That's like unheard of for a guy to get three out of four MVPs,” Durant said. “As a good friend of mine, I'm happy for him. Of course I would have loved to have the MVP, but at the same time I just got to keep improving, keep getting better, and hopefully I'll have one soon.”

This was the closest Durant has come to winning the award for the first time. In 2010, when James won his second MVP, Durant received just four first-place votes to James' 116. That year, James tallied 1,205 points to Durant's 609.

Durant, however, said his second-places finishes are no longer meaningful.

“I've been second since high school,” Durant said. “Second draft pick. Second best player (in the country) in high school. Second in MVP voting twice. So I'm over that being second stuff.”

Will the second-place finishes serve as motivation?

“I'm always motivated,” Durant said. “Not winning MVP doesn't make me more motivated than I already was. It's just a great opportunity for us to have a chance to compete for a world championship…I can't think about it too much because I didn't win it. I just go out there and be me and I'll live with the results.”

Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Durant's time will come.

“I'm proud of Kevin,” Brooks said. “He works every day to be in this position to be considered an MVP caliber player. He's 23. He has a lot of years to get that award.”

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by Darnell Mayberry

OKC Thunder Senior Reporter

Darnell Mayberry grew up in Langston, Okla. and is now in his third stint in the Sooner state. After a year and a half at Bishop McGuinness High, he finished his prep years in Falls Church, Va., before graduating from Norfolk State University in...